Nelumbo plant named ‘Cenghong Dingcui’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Nelumbo  plant named ‘Cenghong Dingcui’, characterized by its upright plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; large medium green-colored leaves; freely flowering habit; and large red purple and lighter red purple bi-colored globose-shaped flowers that are positioned above the foliar plane on moderately strong and erect peduncles.

Botanical designation: Nelumbo nucifera.

Cultivar denomination: ‘CENGHONG DINGCUI’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Nelumboplant, botanically known as Nelumbo nucifera, commonly referred to asSacred or Indian Lotus, and hereinafter referred to by the name‘Cenghong Dingcui’.

The new Nelumbo plant is a product of a controlled breeding programconducted by the Inventors in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China. The objectiveof the breeding program is to create new Nelumbo plants that haveattractive and unique flower forms and flower colors.

The new Nelumbo plant originated from a cross-pollination in July, 2014of Nelumbo nucifera ‘Zi Zhu’, not patented, as the female, or seed,parent with Nelumbo nucifera ‘Jin Pingguo’, not patented, as the male,or pollen, parent. The new Nelumbo plant was discovered and selected bythe Inventors as a single flowering plant within the progeny of thestated open-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment inHangzhou, Zhejiang, China in July, 2016.

Asexual reproduction of the new Nelumbo plant by rhizome divisions in acontrolled environment in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China since April, 2017has shown that the unique features of this new Nelumbo plant are stableand reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexualreproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Nelumbo have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variancein genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Cenghong Dingcui’. Thesecharacteristics in combination distinguish ‘Cenghong Dingcui’ as a newand distinct Nelumbo plant:

-   -   1. Upright plant habit.    -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Large medium green-colored leaves.    -   4. Freely flowering habit.    -   5. Large red purple and lighter red purple bi-colored        globose-shaped flowers that are positioned above the foliar        plane on moderately strong and erect peduncles.

Plants of the new Nelumbo differ from plants of the female parent, ‘ZiZhu’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Flowers of plants of the new Nelumbo are globose-shaped        whereas flowers of plants of ‘Zi Zhu’ are bowl-shaped.    -   2. Flowers of plants of the new Nelumbo have 15 times as many        petals and petaloids as flowers of plants of ‘Zi Zhu’.

Plants of the new Nelumbo differ from plants of the male parent, ‘JinPingguo’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Flowers of plants of the new Nelumbo are globose-shaped        whereas flowers of plants of ‘Jin Pingguo’ are bowl-shaped.    -   2. Flowers of plants of the new Nelumbo have bi-colored petals        and petaloids whereas petals and petaloids of flowers of plants        of ‘Jin Pingguo’ are not bi-colored.

Plants of the new Nelumbo can be compared to plants of Nelumbo nucifera‘Hongyan Sanbaichong’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons plantsof the new Nelumbo differ primarily from plants of ‘Hongyan Sanbaichong’in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Flowers of plants of the new Nelumbo are ball-shaped whereas        flowers of plants of ‘Hongyan Sanbaichong’ are plate-shaped.    -   2. Plants of the new Nelumbo have larger flowers than plants of        ‘Hongyan Sanbaichong’.    -   3. Flowers of plants of the new Nelumbo have red purple and        lighter red purple bi-colored petals and petaloids whereas        petals and petaloids of flowers of plants of ‘Hongyan        Sanbaichong’ are light red purple in color and not bi-colored.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of thenew Nelumbo plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Nelumbo plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of atypical plant of ‘Cenghong Dingcui’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typicalflower of ‘Cenghong Dingcui’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations andmeasurements describe plants grown during the summer in 37-cm by 30-cmcontainers in an outdoor nursery in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China and undercultural practices typical of commercial Nelumbo production. During theproduction of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 14° C. to 33° C.and night temperatures ranged from 16° C. to 28° C. Plants were one yearold when the photographs and the detailed description were taken. In thefollowing description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Nelumbo nucifera ‘Cenghong Dingcui’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Nelumbo nucifera ‘Zi Zhu’, not            patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Nelumbo nucifera ‘Jin Pingguo’, not            patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By rhizome divisions.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About four days at            temperatures about 27° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About seven days at            temperatures about 27° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fleshy; typically white to grey            brown in color, actual color of the roots is dependent on            water quality, fertilizer type and formulation, substrate            temperature and physiological age of roots.        -   Rooting habit.—Not freely branching, medium density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright plant habit; moderately            vigorous growth habit and moderate growth rate.        -   Plant height (soil level to top of foliar plane).—About 84            cm.        -   Plant height (soil level to top of floral plane).—About 123            cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 140 cm by 110 cm.-   Rhizome description:    -   -   Arrangement and habit.—Sympodial branching habit with about            nine to twelve primary branches developing per plant each            with about 6.7 secondary branches.        -   Length.—About 80 cm to 190 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 1.5 cm to 4.3 cm.        -   Internode length.—About 9.3 cm to 36 cm.        -   Texture and luster.—Smooth, glabrous; glossy.        -   Color.—White, close to 159B.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Length, fully expanded.—About 39 cm to 46 cm.        -   Width, fully expanded.—About 21 cm to 36 cm.        -   Shape.—Peltate, elliptical.        -   Apex.—Retuse.        -   Base.—Cuneate.        -   Margin.—Entire; undulate.        -   Venation.—Palmate.        -   Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent,            papery; moderately glossy.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 143A.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 138C. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A; venation,            close to 143A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close            to 138B; venation, close to 145A.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 71 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm to            12 mm. Strength: Moderately strong. Texture and luster,            upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; moderately            glossy. Color: Close to 145C.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Double-type globose-shaped flowers developing            directly from the rhizomes with numerous showy petals and            petaloids; about eight flower buds and flowers developing            per plant at one time.        -   Time to flower.—In China, plants flower from June to August;            flowering continuous during this period; flowers begin            opening at 05:00 hours in the morning, flowers are fully            opened at about 06:30 hours and are typically closed by            09:00 hours.        -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about five days on the plant;            flowers last about three days as a cut flower; flowers            persistent; plants maintain good substance for about 45            days.        -   Fragrance.—Initially, very faint and then not detectable.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 7.8 cm. Diameter: About 7.5 cm.            Shape: Broadly ovate. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous;            matte. Color: Close to 73B.        -   Flowers.—Shape and arrangement: Double-type, globose-shaped            with numerous showy petals and petaloids. Diameter: About            18 cm. Height: About 12 cm.        -   Petals.—Quantity and arrangement: About 368 arranged in            numerous whorls. Length: About 9.3 cm. Width: About 4.6 cm.            Shape: Obovate. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Cuneate. Margins:            Entire; not undulate. Texture and luster, upper surface:            Slightly rugose, glabrous; slightly glossy. Texture and            luster, lower surface: Smooth, glabrous; slightly glossy.            Color: When opening and fully opened, upper surface:            Distally, close to 59C; mid-section and towards the base,            close to 69D; at the base, close to 6D; venation, close to            65B; color becoming closer to 70B with development. When            opening and fully opened, lower surface: Distally, close to            59C; mid-section and towards the base, close to 63D; at the            base, close to 4D; venation, close to 63B; color becoming            closer to 64C with development.        -   Petaloids.—Quantity and arrangement: About 302 arranged in            numerous whorls. Length: About 4.7 cm. Width: About 1.1 cm.            Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Cuneate. Margins:            Entire; not undulate. Texture and luster, upper surface:            Slightly rugose, glabrous; slightly glossy. Texture and            luster, lower surface: Smooth, glabrous; slightly glossy.            Color: When opening and fully opened, upper surface:            Distally, close to 59C; mid-section and towards the base,            close to 69D; at the base, close to 6D; venation, close to            65B; color becoming closer to 70B with development. When            opening and fully opened, lower surface: Distally, close to            59C; mid-section and towards the base, close to 63D; at the            base, close to 4D; venation, close to 63B; color becoming            closer to 64C with development.        -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: About seven in a single            whorl. Length: About 5.7 cm. Width: About 4.8 cm. Shape:            Obovate. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Cuneate. Texture and luster,            upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color:            When opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to 65D.            When opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to 65C.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 114 cm. Diameter: About 2.1 cm.            Strength: Moderately strong. Aspect: Mostly erect. Texture            and luster: Smooth, glabrous; slightly glossy. Color: Close            to 138B.        -   Stamens.—Quantity per flower: About 22. Filament length:            About 1.4 cm. Filament color: Close to 4C. Anther length:            About 1.3 cm. Anther width: About 1 mm. Anther shape:            Lanceolate. Anther color: Close to 6C. Pollen amount:            Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 6C.        -   Pistils.—Quantity per flower: About 26. Pistil length: About            3.8 cm. Style length: About 3.5 cm. Style color: Close to            7A. Stigma diameter: About 1 mm. Stigma shape: Rounded.            Stigma color: Close to 7B. Ovary color: Close to 144A.        -   Fruits and seeds.—To date, fruit and seed development has            not been observed on plants of the new Nelumbo.-   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Nelumbo have    not been observed to be resistant to pathogens or pests common to    Nelumbo plants.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Nelumbo have been observed    to be tolerant to temperatures ranging from about −5° C. to about    41° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Nelumbo plant named ‘CenghongDingcui’ as illustrated and described.